NEWS
--Officials in Mille Lacs County were asking anyone on the Mille Lacs Island Resort to evacuate after a gas line was cut Wednesday morning. The Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office reported the line was cut on Highway 27, just east of the resort's main entrance. People had to be relocated to the community building, which is north of the main office building. Isle Fire and Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Deputies were going door to door to notify people in the area. Around 11am an Emergency Alert System (EAS) message was mistakenly broadcast to local radio and television stations. This included an EAS message sent out regarding evacuation information for Morrison and Crow Wing County. Again this was a mistake and should not have been sent out to those agencies. According to the county dispatch supervisor Andy Berkstrom, the alert should have been sent to the Wireless Emergency Alerts System instead, which goes only to cell phones in the area of the emergency. Berkstrom said the department is working on a correction, but confirmed that the gas leak at Mille Lacs Island Resort is legitimate and crews continued to work through the afternoon until the gas leak was resolved by officials.
--Nearly 16 months after declaring a peacetime emergency in Minnesota to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tim Walz has announced a plan to end his emergency powers as Republicans at the state capitol voted to do the same. The governor announced last week that he intended to end the emergency peacetime declaration on August 1st. He cited at that time increasing numbers of vaccinations and a decline in cases of COVID-19. However, as lawmakers finalize the statewide budget, lawmakers decided that Minnesota wouldn't wait another month. Walz agreed to ending the emergency today (July 1st), as long as the bill included the following elements: Allows Health and Human Services commissioners to declare a public health disaster related to COVID-19, to preserve emergency food benefit Continues executive orders related to state COVID-19 staffing and unemployment insurance regulations until August 1st. Preserves the governor’s authority to coordinate, allocate, distribute, and manage COVID-19 vaccination and testing without a peacetime emergency—and also his authority to declare a new peacetime emergency as necessary. Walz also made a deal with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), protecting monthly food emergency payments to Minnesotans in need. The $45 million deal also benefits grocers, farmers and truckers working in the food industry, according to a press release from the governor's office. To date, the governor's office said Minnesota has received more than $505 million in increased benefits, helping around 282,000 households in the state. Today was to be the date also that all restrictions in the state could end if 70% of Minnesotans were vaccinated for COVID-19 which was over the 3-million mark.
--The Minnesota Deapartment of Natural Resources reported this week that Cass and Crow Wing County has dropped into the low fire danger risk due to recent rains. Morrison, Todd, Stearns and Benton Counties are still in the moderate risk of fire dangers. Wadena, Hubbard and now all of Beltrami County have ordered burning restrictions and no open burning at this time from dry conditions. Morrison and Todd remain in burning restricted zones and the DNR reminds those if you have not received adequate moisture this week to please refrain from outdoor burnings. The DNR has still had to deal with grass fires and baler fires and asking those to please use caution when doing outdoor work or using ATV's on dirt and wooded areas.
--Local artist Charles Kapsner stated to Little Falls Radio that he will be at the Committal Hall at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery this Sunday, July 4th from noon-3:00pm so it will be open to the public for those to view the paintings at the hall.
--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 2006 enclosed trailer, white in color. The trailer has construction tools inside and ladder racks on top with ladders on them. The trailer has white steel rims with a ramp-style door and has no markings on the sides. The trailer was taken sometime between the evening of Friday, June 25th and 11:30am Tuesday, June 29th from the city of Upsala. Anyone with information regarding this theft is asked to call our office at (320) 632-9233. Pictures of the trailer are at the sheriff's office Facebook page.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has announced their July Employee of the Month, Michaela Cole from Dominos. Michaela has worked at Dominos for 7 ½ years and currently is an Assistant Manager. In 2015, Michaela started as a shift manager in training and continued up the ranks to the Assisted Manager position. Congratulations Michaela Cole the July Employee of the Month.
--Tonight is the 2nd Rock Roll and Stroll of the year in Pierz. From 5-8pm all are welcome to come and view the classic cars, and anything cool for that matter. Poker walk, special items at local businesses all put on by the Pierz Area Commerical Club. Stop over to Pierz tonight.
--A reminder from the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site will be reopening on Friday, July 2nd and events are being planned for the remainder of the summer. The house and museum has been closed since the fall of 2019 and did not open at all last year due to the pandemic. To acquire advance tickets or to sign up for a house tour at the history site, reach out by calling 320-616-5421.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
–Actor Bill Cosby has been freed from prison after Pennsylvania’s highest court overturned his sexual assault conviction. The former comedian had appealed to the court in December when his lawyers argued that Cosby’s entire life was put on trial that caused him to suffer unquantifiable prejudice. The 83-year-old has been in SCI Phoenix, a state prison outside of Philadelphia, after a jury convicted him in 2018 of three aggravated indecent assault counts.
DEATH NOTICES
--Betty Loberg, age 90 of Cushing.
--Rita Brown, age 85 of Hillman.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 86.
TONIGHT= clear night, a bit cooler, low 55.
FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, high near 90, low near 60.
SATURDAY= sunny and hot, high 94, low around 66.
4th OF JULY= sunny and hot, high 96, storms late night low 70.
SPORTS
TWINS= White Sox pound the Twins last night 13-3. Twins wrap up with White Sox today, pregame starts at 12:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
LYNX= Lynx win 82-76 last night over Phoenix, now at 8-7.
NHL= Tampa Bay wins 3-1 last night, leads Montreal 2-0 in Finals.
VL= Sobieski at Randall will be the KLTF Game of the Week Saturday afternoon at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF/fallsradio.com.